Control of electrical current for doublecombination ignition system for gasoline engines

ABSTRACT

This invention is directed to a combination-controlled switch for the ignition system of a gasoline engine in which a plurality of nonconducting aligned ratchet wheels containing normally nonalinged electrically conductive contacts, are individually advanced step-by-step by pushbuttons in accordance with a predetermined sequence to bring the contacts into alignment and close the circuit. A separate push button is provided to permit the return of the ratchet wheels to their normal open circuit positions. A tamper proof cable connects the switch to the ignition coil.

United States Patent 1 1 3,602,657

[72] Inventor Adolfo Coyt Espinosa [56] References Cited 71 mublo $1., Col 5, D.F., Cuahtemoc, UNITED STATES PATENTS Me 1,081,022 12/1913 Davls 200/43 [21] P 37446 1,101,064 6 1914 Dana 200/43 [22] 3 340 370 9/1967 Sidelean 200/44 Named 1'593541 7/1926 Rundin 200/43 continuation of application Ser- No. 716,962, Mar. 28,1968, no b d d, Primary Examiner-Robert K. Schaefer Y Assistant Examiner-H. .I. Hohauser AttarneyRobert E. lsner ABSTRACT: This invention is directed to a combination-con- [54] FOR trolled switch for the ignition system of a gasoline engine in GASOLINE ENGINES which a plurality of nonconducting aligned ratchet wheels I claim Drawing g containing normally non-alinged electrically conductive contacts, are individually advanced step-by-step by pushbuttons [52] U.S.Cl 200/43, in accordance with a predetermined sequence to bring the 200/ 159 contacts into alignment and close the circuit. A separate push [51] Int. Cl. H0lh 27/10 button is provided to permit the return of the ratchet wheels to 200/159, their normal open circuit positions. A tamper proof cable con- [50] Field of Search...

159 A, 159 B, 42, 43, 45 nects the switch to the ignition coil.

PATENTED m3] l97l 3' 602557 SHEEI 1 0F .2

INVIiN'I'UR.

ATTORNEY ADOLFO coYr E SPINOSA CONTROL OF ELECTRICAL CURRENT FOR DOUBLE- COMBINATION IGNITION SYSTEM FOR GASOLINE ENGINES This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 716,962, filed March 28, 1968, now abandoned.

THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in ignition switches for gasoline engines and particularly seeks to provide a normally open pushbutton actuated combination switch therefor.

It is known to provide pushbutton combination locks for ignition and other types of electrical switches.

However, it is believed that in most, if not in all earlier forms of such locks all of the pushbuttons were employed in setting the combination either to unlock the switch or to close an electrical circuit.

in accordance with this invention, however, a combinationcontrolled switch is provided for an electrical circuit which includes a plurality of aligned combination-actuating pushbuttons plus a neutralizing or deactivating button interposed between the activating buttons in a randomly selected position. All of the pushbuttons have the same appearance and are so connected to the various switch elements that their depth of an resistance to travel is uniform, making it extremely difficult for a person who does not know either the combination or the position of the neutralizing button to close the circuit controlled by the switch by atrial and error approach.

A better understanding of this invention will be gained by reference to the drawings, the accompanying detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pushbutton controlled ignition switch constructed in accordance with this invention;

FlG. 2 is a perspective view of the connecting element for an ignition coil; including basically the protecting device;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the switch of FIG. 1 with the cover removed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the invention as illustrated is embodied in a pushbutton controlled combination ignition switch generally indicated at 5 adapted to be electrically connected to an automobile ignition coil (not shown) through an insulated armored cable 6 containing a pair of insulated lead wires 7, 7 and a coil connecting element 8 having a depending portion 9 which becomes clamped to the exterior of the ignition coil.

The switch 5 includes a body suitably formed from pressed metal or molded plastic and having a front wall 10, a rear wall 11, sidewalls 12, 12 having laterally projecting mounting flanges 13, 13 at the tops of the forward ends thereof, and a somewhat concave bottom 14. Each flange 13 is provided with a hole 15 for receiving a mounting bolt and the top of the switch body is closed by a flat cover 16 removably secured thereto by a plurality of screws 17.

A transverse shaft 18 (see FIG. 3) is secured between the sidewalls 12 in the middle of the switch body and carries at each end an insulated connector 19 (see FIG. 4) to which the wire leads 7, 7 are connected. The inner face of each connector 19 is provided with an exposed electrical contact (not shown) connected to the associated wire lead 7 and adapted to be brought into circuit closing contact with the electrical contact of an associated pushbutton actuated ratchet element as will be hereinafter more fully described. A compression spring 20 is interposed between each of the connectors 19 and its associated sidewall 12 to resiliently urge the connectors into friction contact with the to be described ratchet elements and to maintain the ratchet elements in friction contact with each other.

A plurality of ratchet wheels 21 formed from a nonconductive material and equal in number to the total number of actuating pushbuttons, are rotatably mounted on the transverse shaft 18 in side face abutting relation. The upper forward quadrant of each ratchet wheel 21 is provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth 22 and its bottom is provided with a depending abutment lug 23 normally held against a transverse abutment rod 24 by a tension spring 25 having one end attached to the lug 23 and its other end attached to a transverse anchor rod 26.

Each ratchet wheel 21 is provided with a transverse conducting element 27 extending completely therethrough and, located radially away from the axis of the shaft 18. Although the conducting element 27 of each ratchet wheel is located the same radial distance from the axis of rotation thereof, they are angularly displaced with respect to one another when the lugs 23 abut the transverse bar 24 as when the switch is open. In

order to close the circuit between the connectors 19, the individual ratchet wheels 21 must be individually rotated counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 3 in a step-by-step manner until the conducting elements 27 are all brought into alignment.

To this end in the illustrated embodiment of this invention, there are five ratchet wheels 21 and the front of the switch body is provided with a corresponding number of cylindrical push buttons 28 extending forwardly through the front wall 10 thereof and terminating rearwardly in depending abutment lugs 29. A separate circuit opening or neutralizing cylindrical pushbutton 30, having an inner abutment 31, is interposed at a preselected position between two of the pushbuttons 28, and since there is no circuit-forming ratchet wheel associated with it, one of the adjacent ratchet wheels 21 must be of sufficient added thickness to span the gap created by the presence of the pushbutton 30.

A transverse rod 32, located at the front of the switch body, carries the forward ends of a plurality of fixed upwardly extending spring detents, 33, the rear ends of which are operatively engaged with a tooth 22 of an associated ratchet wheel 21 to normally restrain the ratchet wheels against clockwise rotation under the influence of the springs 25.

An irregularly shaped indexing pusher blade 34 is carried by the abutment 29 of each pushbutton 28 and has its rear end extending upwardly and rearwardly beneath the rear end of its associated detent 33. Tension springs 35, extending between an intermediate portion of each indexing blade 34 and a transverse rod 36, maintain the pushbuttons 28 in their forward positions while permitting them to be displaced rearwardly to index the associated ratchet wheels 21 through the pusher blades 34 one step each time a pushbutton is operated. Means (not shown) are provided to limit the rearward movement of each pushbutton to a distance just sufi'rcient to equal that required to index its associated ratchet wheel a single step at each operation of the pushbutton.

When the ratchet wheels 21 have become properly indexed by operation of the pushbuttons 28 (in accordance with a preset combination or pattern furnished to the user, which also provides the location of the circuit opening or neutralizing push button 30) the conducting elements 27 of the ratchet wheels 21 are brought into contact with each other, and with the contacts of the connectors 19 to close the circuit to the ignition coil and permit the engine to be started.

In order to permit the ratchet wheels 21 to return to their initial open-circuit positions when the engine is to be stopped, a rock plate 37, which is affixed to a rock shaft 38, extends transversely across the full width of the set of ratchet wheels and has its upper edge in proximity to the undersides of the thrust blades 34 and its lower edge resiliently biased toward the front of the switch body by one or more tension springs 39. A rearwardly projecting stud 40 (see FIG. 4) carried by the abutment 31 of the neutralizing button 30, contacts the lower edge portion of the rock plate 37 when that button is pushed in to rotate the rock plate in a clockwise direction and cause its upper edge to lift the pusher blades 34 and the detents 33 out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 22 and the springs 25 return the ratchet wheels to their initial open-circuit positions.

If desired, a hinged front cover 41 may be provided to cover the pushbuttons when not in use.

It will be apparent that since the neutralizing pushbutton 30 may be located in any one of six positions (in the illustrated embodiment) and the conducting elements 27 of the ratchet wheels 21 may be respectively located in any one of a plurality of positions, it will be extremely difficult for a person not possessed of either knowledge of the location of the neutralizing button or the indexing pattern for the ratchet wheels to operate the switch to close the ignition circuit; particularly in view of the fact that each time the neutralizing button is pressed all of the ratchet wheels return to their initial opencircuit positions.

It is of course to be understood that variations in arrangements and proportions of parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In a pushbutton actuated, combination-controlled electrical switch for gasoline engines wherein is provided a switch body and a plurality of actuating pushbuttons;

the combination of an externally positioned armored cable for connecting said switch to the circuit of an ignition coil and having a pair of lead wires extending into said switch body and respectively connected to a pair of transversely spaced connecting elements provided with inwardly opposed electrical contacts;

a plurality of indexable nonconductive elements bearing ratchet edges over less than their entire circumference rotatably mounted on a common shaft and interposed between said connecting elements;

coil springs mounted on the same shaft as the indexable nonconductive elements outwardly of the transversely spaced connecting elements acting to ensure abutment of the transversely spaced connecting elements against the indexable nonconductive elements and between the nonconductive elements;

pusher plate means carried by said pushbuttons for indexing said nonconductive elements;

detents for holding said nonconductive elements in their indexed positions;

the open circuit positions of said pusher plate means and said detents being in the same ratchet groove on the nonconductive elements;

each of said nonconductive elements being provided with a conductive element extending transversely therethrough and being radially spaced from its axis of rotation, the conductive elements of at least certain of said nonconductive elements being angularly spaced from each other and adapted to be brought into a circuit-closing alignment abutting each other by proper indexing of said nonconductive elements;

and pushbutton actuated means for causing all of said nonconductive elements to return to their initial open circuit positions after at least one of same has been indexed away from said initial open circuit position toward a combined closed circuit position, the pushbuttons for said pushbutton actuated means being in the same plane external of the switch body as the push-button means for indexing said nonconductive elements;

a plurality of lugs on the interior of the bottom of said switch body and a lug on each indexable nonconductive element, said first lugs being in abutment to said second lugs when the switch is in the open circuit position;

said pushbutton nonconductive element returning means includes a transverse rock plate positioned beneath said pusher plates and detents and rockable about its middle axis, said push button nonconductive element returning means being engageable with a lower edge portion of said rock plate for moving the upper edge thereof into contact with said pusher plates and detents to simultaneously disengage all of same from the ratchet teeth of said nonconductive elements;

a transverse abutment rod extending from one sidewall of the switch body to the other located between the common shaft bearing the nonconductive ratchet elements and the rear wall of the switch body; and a coil spring extending from said transverse abutment rod to each nonconductive element; such springs operating to return the nonconductive elements to the open switch position when the ratchet teeth are simultaneously disengaged. 

1. In a pushbutton actuated, combination-controlled electrical switch for gasoline engines wherein is provided a switch body and a plurality of actuating pushbuttons; the combination of an externally positioned armored cable for connecting said switch to the circuit of an ignition coil and having a pair of lead wires extending into said switch body and respectively connected to a pair of transversely spaced connecting elements provided with inwardly opposed electrical contacts; a plurality of indexable nonconductive elements bearing ratchet edges over less than their entire circumference rotatably mounted on a common shaft and interposed between said connecting elements; coil springs mounted on the same shaft as the indexable nonconductive elements outwardly of the transversely spaced connecting elements acting to ensure abutment of the transversely spaced connecting elements against the indexable nonconductive elements and between the nonconductive elements; pusher plate means carried by said pushbuttons for indexing said nonconductive elements; detents for holding said nonconductive elements in their indexed positions; the open circuit positions of said pusher plate means and said detents being in the same ratchet groove on the nonconductive elements; each of said nonconductive elements being provided with a conductive element extending transversely therethrough and being radially spaced from its axis of rotation, the conductive elements of at least certain of said nonconductive elements being angularly spaced from each other and adapted to be brought into a circuit-closing alignment abutting each other by proper indexing of said nonconductive elements; and pushbutton actuated means for causing all of said nonconductive elements to return to their initial open circuit positions after at least one of same has been indexed away from said initial Open circuit position toward a combined closed circuit position, the pushbuttons for said pushbutton actuated means being in the same plane external of the switch body as the push button means for indexing said nonconductive elements; a plurality of lugs on the interior of the bottom of said switch body and a lug on each indexable nonconductive element, said first lugs being in abutment to said second lugs when the switch is in the open circuit position; said pushbutton nonconductive element returning means includes a transverse rock plate positioned beneath said pusher plates and detents and rockable about its middle axis, said push button nonconductive element returning means being engageable with a lower edge portion of said rock plate for moving the upper edge thereof into contact with said pusher plates and detents to simultaneously disengage all of same from the ratchet teeth of said nonconductive elements; a transverse abutment rod extending from one sidewall of the switch body to the other located between the common shaft bearing the nonconductive ratchet elements and the rear wall of the switch body; and a coil spring extending from said transverse abutment rod to each nonconductive element; such springs operating to return the nonconductive elements to the open switch position when the ratchet teeth are simultaneously disengaged. 